Support for waste disposer

ABSTRACT

An arrangement for supporting a waste disposer on the depending sleeve portion of a sink flange includes an annular member having an inwardly projecting shoulder engageable with a groove in the sink flange sleeve portion and an outwardly projecting ledge engageable with an internal shoulder on the resilient inlet of a disposer housing. The annular member provides for quick connect and disconnect of the disposer.

United States Patent Jordan Mar. 12, 1974 SUPPORT FOR WASTE DISPOSER [75] Inventor: Lawrence J. Jordan, Newton, Iowa Primary Exam" wrGranwne Custer Asszstant ExammerE. F. Desmond [73] ASSIgHeeI The M y g C mpany, Newton, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William G. Landwier; Rich- Iowa ard L. Ward 22 F'] d: N 17 1972 l 1 v 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl' 307575 An arrangement for supporting a waste disposer on the depending sleeve portion of a sink flange includes [52] US. Cl. 241/1005 an annular member having an inwardly p j g [51] Int. Cl. B02c 18/42 Shoulder ng g l h a groove in the sink flange 8] Field of Search 241/46 A, 100.5, 257 G Sleeve portion and an ut ar y projecting ledge engageable with an internal shoulder on the resilient [56] Refer Cit d inlet of a disposer housing. The annular member pro- UNITED STATES PATENTS vides for quick connect and disconnect of the dis- 2,975,986 3/1961 Frank 241/1005 poser 2,9l2,l76 11/1959 Jordan 241/1005 X Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 4M 41 ale SUPPORT FOR WASTE DISPOSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to food waste disposer appara tus and more particularly to a construction for mounting the disposer on a sink.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior art supporting systems for disposers have included a generally horizontally extending housing flange which is clamped between a pair of generally horizontally extending plates or have alternatively included a resilient housing inlet clamped directly on the sleeve portion of the sink flange. The high cost and assembly inconveniences of the flanged housing and clamping plates method and the high cost and lack of positive mounting with the resilient inlet to sleeve method point up the need for an improved, low cost, convenient, yet reliable, supporting system for a disposer.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION It is an object of the instant invention to provide such a low cost, convenient, and reliable disposer mounting system.

It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a disposer mounting member supportable on a sink flange and operable for receiving and supporting a resilient inlet of a disposer housing.

It is a still further object of the instant invention to provide a disposer having an improved mounting construction for a quick connect to and disconnect from a sink flange.

The instant invention achieves these objects in a waste disposer apparatus having a housing with a resilient inlet. An individual supporting member having an inwardly extending upper shoulder and an outwardly extending lower ledge is interposed between the sleeve of a sink flange and the inlet of the disposer housing. The upper shoulder is conveniently clamped to the sleeve and then the inlet of the disposer housing is clamped to the ledge with a minimum of effort and tools.

Operation of the device and further objects and advantages thereof will become evident as the description proceeds and from an examination of the accompanying page of drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention with similar numerals referring to similar parts throughout the several views wherein:

FIG. 1 is a section view of an installed sink flange ready to receive a disposer in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the supporting band of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the disposer in the installed position prior to tightening of a retaining clamp;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section view showing the resilient inlet under clamping compression; and

FIG. 5 is a view, similar to FIG. 2, showing an alternate construction for the supporting band.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a sink 10 having an annular flange 11 defining a drain opening in which is positioned a sink flange 14. The sink flange l4 includes an upper flange portion 15 engageable with the sink 10 and a lower sleeve portion 16 depending from the upper flange portion 15 through the drain opening. The sleeve portion 16 includes a groove 18 rolled into a lower portion thereof. FIG. 1 also shows upper and lower mounting plates 19 and 20 each having a central opening permitting assembly to the sleeve portion 16. A resilient gasket 21 is positioned between the upper plate 19 and the annular flange 11 of the sink 10. A supporting band 24 substantially encircles the sleeve portion 16 and includes an inwardly extending shoulder 25 at the annular groove 18.

The supporting band 24 further comprises a tubular portion 26 having an internal dimension sized for mating engagement with the outside of the sink flange sleeve portion 16. At the upper end of the tubular portion 26 is the shoulder 25 that extends inwardly to an internal dimension less than that of the outside diameter of the sleeve 16 but having a generally mating engagement with the groove 18. At the lower end of the tubular portion 26 is an outwardly extending ledge 28.

Turning briefly to FIG. 2, the supporting band 24 is shown as having a longitudinal recess or cut 29 extending axially through shoulder 25, tubular portion 26 and ledge 28 so that the supporting band 24 is split. The supporting band 24 is molded of a suitable plastic so that as a split ring or split band it may be flexed to permit assembly to the sleeve portion 16 of the sink flange 14 as shown and through the internal tensions will be retained on the sleeve portion 16 with the shoulder 25 in the groove 18.

To achieve the assembly of FIG. 1, the sink flange 14 is placed loosely in the drain opening from the top side; the gasket 21, upper plate 19, and lower plate 20 are then moved generally axially onto the sleeve portion 16 from the bottom; while holding the plates and gasket on the sleeve portion 16, the supporting band 24 is snapped into place with the inwardly extending shoulder 25 engaged with the groove 18; and then the threaded members 30 are turned against the upper plate 19 to separate the plates 10 and 20 and to load the upper plate 19 against the sink 10 through the gasket 21 and to load the lower plate 20 against the shoulder 25 of the supporting band 24 through the inner flange 31.

It is noted that the sink flange 14 will become clamped to the sink 10 and that the lower plate 20 will apply axial and radial force to the upper shoulder 25 of the supporting band 24 through the inner flange 31 to securely clamp the supporting band 24 to the sleeve portion 16. The assembly of FIG. 1 is thus ready to receive a disposer housing inlet. 1

Referring to FIG. 3, the housing 34 of the disposer is shown as having a resilient inlet 5 for receiving a portion of the sleeve 16 and supporting band 24. The inlet 35 includes an annular recess or groove 36 defining a shoulder 38 engageable with the ledge 28 of the supporting band 24. The engagement as in FIG. 3 is sufficient to support the weight of the disposer.

The inlet also defines an outer groove 39 for a clamp including a strap 42 that encircles the inlet 35 and that may be tightened, as by the screw 41, to compress the resilient inlet 35 and provide a more positive engagement of the inlet 35 to the ledge 28 as in FIG. 4. The resilient material of the inlet 35 deforms for generally conforming to the supporting band 24 and lower end of the sleeve portion l6'as shown by FIG. 4, to provide a more reliable connection and to seal the housing inlet 35 to the sleeve portion 16. The relatively rigid shoulder 25 of the supporting band 24 gives a more positive engagement with the shallow groove 18 than possible with a more resilient material such as if the resilient inlet of the housing were connected directly to the sleeve portion. Also, molding of the supporting band 24 permits a larger and more generally horizontal ledge 28 for achieving the more positive engagement by the resilient housing inlet.

It is thus clear that the instant invention provides an improved disposer mounting system having quick connect and disconnect advantages. Once the supporting band 24 is in place, the disposer may be quickly and conveniently assembled to the sleeve with a minimum of effort and tools.

Use of the instant invention provides distinct advantages over the prior art constructions. As compared to systems using three plates, including two to clamp onto a housing flange, the cost and inconvenience of the third plate is eliminated. The improvements over prior art in which a resilient housing is mounted for engagement in a second groove of the sink flange include reduced costs'and improved reliability.

More specifically, forming of a single groove in a thin sheet metal sleeve is common but forming two relatively close grooves in a thin wall sleeve creates forming problems resulting in increased costs. These problems are avoided with the present invention. Reliability is improved through the more positive engagement of the resilient inlet 35 with the ledge 28 of the supporting band 24.

An alternate construction for the supporting band is shown in FIG. 5. As compared to the split band 24 of FIGS. 1 4, the band 44 of FIG. 5, particularly the lower ledge 45, is endless but otherwise similar to ledge 28. The upper shoulder 26, similar to shoulder 25 but slotted as at 48 so that the individual portions or segments 49, formed by the radially extending circumferentially spaced slots 48, may flex outwardly to permit assembly of the supporting band 44 to the sleeve portion 16 of the sink flange 14.

In the drawings and specification, there is set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed these are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in form and the proportion of parts as well as the substitution of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1'. In a waste disposer apparatus supportable on a sink flange having a depending sleeve portion and an annular groove formed therein and wherein the disposer apparatus includes a housing having a resilient inlet portion defining a generally annular inner shoulder, a supporting member for interposition between said sleeve portion and said housing and comprising: a tubular portion for mating generally with the outer surface of the depending sleeve portion of said sink flange; shoulder means extending substantially'around said tubular portion at one end thereof and extending inwardly from said tubular portion for mating engagement with the annular groove of said sleeve portion; said shoulder means having recess-defining means therein to permit outward flexing of said shoulder means for assembly of said supporting member to the sleeve portion of said sink flange; and an outwardly extending ledge spaced axially from said inwardly extending shoulder means for receiving the resilient inlet portion of said disposer housing in a supporting relationship.

2. A supporting member as defined in claim I wherein said recess-defining means defines a single recess extending longitudinally through said shoulder means, said tubular portion, and said outwardly extending ledge whereby said supporting member is split and may be flexed outwardly for assembly to the sleeve portion of said sink flange.

3. In a supporting member as defined in claim I wherein said recess-defining means defines a plurality of recesses extending through said shoulder means and a part of said tubular portion at circumferentially spaced positions whereby the shoulder means on said supporting member may be flexed outwardly for assembly of the supporting member to the sleeve portion of said sink flange.

4. In a waste disposer, the combination comprising: housing means including a resilient generally annular inlet portion having an inner shoulder adjacent the upper end of said inlet portion; sleeve means including an upper flanged portion supportable in a drain opening of a sink and further including a generally annular groove formed in a lower depending portion of said sleeve means; a supporting member generally encircling said lower depending portion and including an upper inwardly extending shoulder means engageable with the groove in said sleeve means; upper plate means and lower plate means encircling the depending portion of said sleeve means for disposition between the bottom of said sink and the upper shoulder means of said supporting member; means for separating and loading said upper and lower plate means respectively against said sink bottom and said supporting member to securely clamp said sleeve means in said drain opening; said supporting member further including a lower outwardly extending ledge for mating engagement with the inner shouldenof said housing means inlet portion to support said housing means on said sleeve means; and clamp means encircling the inlet portion of said housing means to maintain positive engagement of said inner shoulder with the outwardly extending ledge of said supporting member whereby said waste disposer is supported on the depending portion of said sleeve means.

5. In a waste disposer as defined in claim 4 wherein the outside diameter of the depending portion of said sleeve means exceeds the inside diameter of the inwardly extending shoulder means of said supporting member and wherein said supporting member is unitary and said shoulder means is-split to permit outward flexure for assembly to said depending portion at said groove.

6. In a waste disposer as defined in claim 5 wherein said lower plate is formed to engage the shoulder means of said supporting member for applying axial and radial loading thereon to effect the clamping of said sleeve means in said drain opening and to retain said shoulder means in said groove.

7. In a waste disposer, the combination comprising: housing means including a resilient annular inlet portion having an inner shoulder adjacent the upper end of said inlet portion; sleeve means including an upper flanged portion supportable in a drain opening of a sink and further including an annular groove formed in a lower depending portion of said sleeve means; a supl porting band member including a tubular portion mating with and generally encirclingsaid lower depending portion, said supporting band member further including an upper inwardly extending shoulder means engageable with the annular groove in said sleeve means and further including recess means permitting flexure of said shoulder means for assembly of said supporting band member to said sleeve means; upper plate means and lower plate means encircling the depending portion of said sleeve means for disposition between the bottom of said sink and the upper shoulder means of said supporting band member; means for separating and loading said upper and lower plate means respectively against said sink bottom and the upper shoulder means of said supporting band member to securely clamp said sleeve means in said drain opening and to retain the supporting band member on said sleeve portion; said supporting band member further including a lower outwardly extending ledge for mating engagement with the inner shoulder of said housing inlet portion to support said housing means on said sleeve means; and adjustable clamp means encircling the inlet portion of said housing means to maintain positive engagement of the inner shoulder of said housing means on the ledge of said supporting band member whereby said waste disposer is supported on the depending portion of said sleeve means.

8. In a waste disposer as defined in claim 7 wherein the recess means of said supporting band member includes a single recess extending longitudinally through said supporting band member whereby said supporting band member is split and may be flexed outwardly for assembly to the depending portion of said sleeve means.

9. In a waste disposer as defined in claim 7 wherein said supporting band member is endless and the recess means therein comprises a plurality of recesses extending through said inwardly extending shoulder means at circumferentially spaced positions whereby the shoulder means on said supporting band member may be flexed outwardly for assembly of the supporting band member to the depending portion of said sleeve means.

10. In a waste disposer as defined in claim 7 wherein said adjustable clamp means deforms the resilient inlet portion of said housing means to effect a seal of said inlet portion to said supporting band member and to the depending portion of said sleeve means. 

1. In a waste disposer apparatus supportable on a sink flange having a depending sleeve portion and an annular groove formed therein and wherein the disposer apparatus includes a housing having a resilient inlet portion defining a generally annular inner shoulder, a supporting member for interposition between said sleeve portion and said housing and comprising: a tubular portion for mating generally with the outer surface of the depending sleeve portion of said sink flange; shoulder means extending substantially around said tubular portion at one end thereof and extending inwardly from said tubular portion for mating engagement with the annular groove of said sleeve portion; said shoulder means having recess-defining means therein to permit outward flexing of said shoulder means for assembly of said supporting member to the sleeve portion of said sink flange; and an outwardly extending ledge spaced axially from said inwardly extending shoulder means for receiving the resilient inlet portion of said disposer housing in a supporting relationship.
 2. A supporting member as defined in claim 1 wherein said recess-defining means defines a single recess extending longitudinally through said shoulder means, said tubular portion, and said outwardly extending ledge whereby said supporting member is split and may be flexed outwardly for assembly to the sleeve portion of said sink flange.
 3. In a supporting member as defined in claim 1 wherein said recess-defining means defines a plurality of recesses extending through said shoulder means and a part of said tubular portion at circumferentially spaced positions whereby the shoulder means on said supporting member may be flexed outwardly for assembly of the supporting member to the sleeve portion of said sink flange.
 4. In a waste disposer, the combination comprising: housing means including a resilient generally annular inlet portion having an inner shoulder adjacent the upper end of said inlet portion; sleeve means including an upper flanged portion suPportable in a drain opening of a sink and further including a generally annular groove formed in a lower depending portion of said sleeve means; a supporting member generally encircling said lower depending portion and including an upper inwardly extending shoulder means engageable with the groove in said sleeve means; upper plate means and lower plate means encircling the depending portion of said sleeve means for disposition between the bottom of said sink and the upper shoulder means of said supporting member; means for separating and loading said upper and lower plate means respectively against said sink bottom and said supporting member to securely clamp said sleeve means in said drain opening; said supporting member further including a lower outwardly extending ledge for mating engagement with the inner shoulder of said housing means inlet portion to support said housing means on said sleeve means; and clamp means encircling the inlet portion of said housing means to maintain positive engagement of said inner shoulder with the outwardly extending ledge of said supporting member whereby said waste disposer is supported on the depending portion of said sleeve means.
 5. In a waste disposer as defined in claim 4 wherein the outside diameter of the depending portion of said sleeve means exceeds the inside diameter of the inwardly extending shoulder means of said supporting member and wherein said supporting member is unitary and said shoulder means is split to permit outward flexure for assembly to said depending portion at said groove.
 6. In a waste disposer as defined in claim 5 wherein said lower plate is formed to engage the shoulder means of said supporting member for applying axial and radial loading thereon to effect the clamping of said sleeve means in said drain opening and to retain said shoulder means in said groove.
 7. In a waste disposer, the combination comprising: housing means including a resilient annular inlet portion having an inner shoulder adjacent the upper end of said inlet portion; sleeve means including an upper flanged portion supportable in a drain opening of a sink and further including an annular groove formed in a lower depending portion of said sleeve means; a supporting band member including a tubular portion mating with and generally encircling said lower depending portion, said supporting band member further including an upper inwardly extending shoulder means engageable with the annular groove in said sleeve means and further including recess means permitting flexure of said shoulder means for assembly of said supporting band member to said sleeve means; upper plate means and lower plate means encircling the depending portion of said sleeve means for disposition between the bottom of said sink and the upper shoulder means of said supporting band member; means for separating and loading said upper and lower plate means respectively against said sink bottom and the upper shoulder means of said supporting band member to securely clamp said sleeve means in said drain opening and to retain the supporting band member on said sleeve portion; said supporting band member further including a lower outwardly extending ledge for mating engagement with the inner shoulder of said housing inlet portion to support said housing means on said sleeve means; and adjustable clamp means encircling the inlet portion of said housing means to maintain positive engagement of the inner shoulder of said housing means on the ledge of said supporting band member whereby said waste disposer is supported on the depending portion of said sleeve means.
 8. In a waste disposer as defined in claim 7 wherein the recess means of said supporting band member includes a single recess extending longitudinally through said supporting band member whereby said supporting band member is split and may be flexed outwardly for assembly to the depending portion of said sleeve means.
 9. In a waste disposer as defined in claim 7 wherein said supporting band member is endless and the Recess means therein comprises a plurality of recesses extending through said inwardly extending shoulder means at circumferentially spaced positions whereby the shoulder means on said supporting band member may be flexed outwardly for assembly of the supporting band member to the depending portion of said sleeve means.
 10. In a waste disposer as defined in claim 7 wherein said adjustable clamp means deforms the resilient inlet portion of said housing means to effect a seal of said inlet portion to said supporting band member and to the depending portion of said sleeve means. 